Mahāprajāpatī Gautamī

Mahāprajāpatī Gautamī (; Pali: ''Mahāpajāpatī Gotamī'') or simply Prajāpatī was the foster-mother, step-mother and maternal aunt (mother's sister) of the Buddha. In Buddhist tradition, she was the first woman to seek ordination for women, which she did from Gautama Buddha directly, and she became the first bhikṣuṇī (Buddhist nun).

Depiction

Gotamī's story was widely distributed, with multiple versions existing. It is recorded in the various surviving Vinaya traditions, including the Pali Canon and ''Sarvastivada'' and ''Mulasarvastivada'' versions.

Theravada Buddhism

In the Pali Canon, her request for ordination is detailed in the '' Anguttara Nikaya''. The stories of her past lives are included in the ''Therīgāthā'', '' Theri-apadāna'' and ''Jataka''.

Mahayana Buddhism

In the Lotus Sutra, the Buddha bestows a prophecy upon Mahāprajāpatī that in the distant alternate timeline on future, she will become a buddha named Sarvasattvapriyadarśana.

Gallery

Past lives

According to the ''Theri-apadāna'', Gotamī started on the path of the Dhamma during the time of Padumuttara Buddha, when she was born to a wealthy family in Hamsavati. She witnessed Padumuttara Buddha place his aunt, a bhikkhuni, in a senior position, and aspired to achieve the same position after providing offerings to the Buddha and his followers for seven days. Padumuttara Buddha said she would achieve her aspiration under Gautama Buddha. She was later reborn in the Tavatimsa heaven as a god.

Gotamī then returned to the human realm as the leader of 500 female slaves. In that life, they encountered a group of 500 paccekabuddhas, for whom they built huts and provided food offerings for the duration of the rain retreat. Following the rain retreat, Gotamī had her followers prepare robes for the paccekabuddhas. They continued to perform meritorious acts throughout their lives and were reborn as Tavatimsa gods.

Gotamī's followers would follow her and attain liberation as bhikkhunis in the time of Gautama Buddha.

Final life

Tradition says Maya and Mahāpajāpatī Gotamī were Koliyan princesses and sisters of Suppabuddha. Mahāpajāpatī was both the Buddha's maternal aunt and adoptive mother, raising him after her sister Maya, the Buddha's birth mother, died. She raised Siddhartha as if he were her own child.

An eminent '' Therī'', Mahāpajāpatī was born at Devdaha as the younger sister of Māyā. Mahāpajāpatī was so called because, at her birth, augurs prophesied that she would have a large following. Both sisters married King Suddhodhana, leader of the Śākya. When Māyā died seven days after the birth of the Bodhisatta (the "Buddha-to-be"), Pajāpati looked after the Bodhisatta and nursed him. She raised the Buddha and had her own children, Siddhartha's half-sister Sundari Nanda and half-brother Nanda.

Ordination of the first woman

When King Suddhodhana died, Mahāpajāpatī Gotamī decided to attain ordination. Gotamī went to the Buddha and asked to be ordained into the Sangha three times. The Buddha refused and went on to Vesāli. Undaunted, Gotamī cut off her hair and donned yellow robes and with 500 princesses, 250 from the Sakyan kingdom and 250 from the Koliyan kingdom followed the Buddha to Vesāli on foot.Bhikkhunis (archived 2011)
/ref> Upon arrival, she repeated her request to be ordained. Ananda, one of the principal disciples and an attendant of the Buddha, met her and offered to intercede with the Buddha on her behalf.

Gotamī agreed to accept the Eight Garudhammas and was accorded the status of the first bhikkhuni. Subsequent women had to undergo full ordination to become nuns.

Gotamī died at the age of 120.Dhammadharini
Going Forth & Going Out ~ the Parinibbana of Mahapajapati Gotami - Dhammadharini

References

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Further reading

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External links

{{DEFAULTSORT:Gotami, Mahapajabati
Foremost disciples of Gautama Buddha
Family of Gautama Buddha
Arhats
Indian Buddhists
Buddhist monasticism
Year of birth missing
Year of death missing
Buddhist nuns
Indian Buddhist nuns
Koliyas